FIFA President Gianni Infantino has secured enough votes to win re-election, forcing his European opponents to abandon plans to unseat him in Rabat.
Opponents are now pivoting toward restricting the executive authority of the presidency after failing to unite international federations behind a viable rival candidate ahead of the March election.
Shift in strategy follows collapsed investment deal
The sudden shift in strategy marks a sharp turnaround for the 56-year-old Swiss-Italian administrator, who faced the gravest threat of his decade-long tenure following the collapse of his controversial commercial proposals earlier this year.
Infantino had sought to sell a 20 per cent stake in FIFA competitions, including the flagship men's World Cup, to private investors. The plan provoked fierce backlash across the sport, prompting the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA), the Asian Football Confederation (AFC), and North America's CONCACAF to demand sweeping leadership changes at football's global governing body in Zurich.
Opposition gathered momentum as multiple European national governing bodies withdrew their backing. The French Football Federation became the latest to formally sever ties on Thursday.
A source with direct knowledge of high-level discussions among football officials said that three weeks earlier key figures believed Infantino was politically dead. The same source added that critics had failed to grasp how durable Infantino's political network remained after ten years in power.
Electoral mathematics favour incumbent president
FIFA Secretary General Mattias Grafström initially described the fallout surrounding the abandoned investment scheme as a sad and reprehensible series of events. However, Grafström subsequently reaffirmed his complete support for Infantino following a high-level crisis meeting in Rabat, Morocco.
As the immediate crisis waned, the arithmetic required to unseat the incumbent president became increasingly insurmountable for his critics. Each of FIFA's 211 member associations holds a single vote at the FIFA Congress, meaning any successful challenger must build a coalition extending far beyond UEFA's 55 member nations.
No challenger capable of assembling broad international support has emerged to contest the election. Opponents faced a dangerous calculation, noting that forcing a vote and losing risked consolidating Infantino's authority rather than weakening it.
A source familiar with the discussions confirmed that the strategic direction had changed, adding that launching an unsuccessful electoral challenge presented an unacceptably high risk for UEFA.
Potential rivals step back from FIFA presidency
Prominent figures within global football had identified Paris Saint-Germain President Nasser Al-Khelaifi as one of the few executives capable of building the required intercontinental alliance. However, Al-Khelaifi ruled himself out of contention, stating through a spokesperson that he held no ambition, intention, or interest in seeking the FIFA presidency.
CONCACAF President Victor Montagliani was also considered a potential candidate. Another source told Reuters that Montagliani was unlikely to enter the race without prior confirmation of sufficient voting support to guarantee victory.
Although potential candidates from Africa or Asia could still be nominated before the 18 November deadline, no major contender has stepped forward. Meanwhile, Reuters sought formal comments from both FIFA and UEFA regarding the leadership contest.
Strong support across Africa and Oceania
Infantino continues to command firm loyalty across confederations outside Europe, particularly in Oceania and Africa. Steeve Laigle, president of the New Caledonia Football Federation, confirmed that a clear majority of Oceania leaders remained steadfastly behind Infantino and would support him to the end.
Laigle explained that Infantino had cultivated deep loyalty by focusing on the developmental needs of smaller national associations. He added that when member federations gave their word and pledged loyalty to a leader, they stood by that commitment.
A senior official at the Confederation of African Football (CAF) echoed those sentiments, stating that the vast majority of African federation presidents remained satisfied with Infantino's leadership. The official noted that African leaders anticipated continued financial investment in the region and had shared none of Europe's reservations regarding the proposed sale of World Cup commercial rights.
Africa's influential Moroccan Football Federation remains among Infantino's key public allies. A CAF source claimed some African officials believed Moroccan federation president Fouzi Lekjaa had been promised the host venue for the 2030 World Cup final in return for political backing.
FIFA firmly denied allegations that Morocco was offered the World Cup final in exchange for political support. Lekjaa stated on Thursday that the final match would take place in the Casablanca region, although FIFA has yet to officially confirm the host venue. The Moroccan federation did not respond to requests for comment.
European federations evaluate governance reforms
While UEFA, the AFC, and CONCACAF aligned in calling for executive change, Infantino retained solid backing from South America's CONMEBOL alongside CAF. This continental split highlighted the dilemma facing European reformers.
France highlighted that challenge on Thursday when its executive committee unanimously withdrew support for Infantino without putting forward an alternative candidate. French Football Federation president Philippe Diallo stated that trust in the FIFA president had been broken.
Diallo emphasized that critics must now focus on formulating an alternative platform and uniting all continents behind a viable candidate ahead of the 18 November nomination deadline. He stressed that any successful reform project could not be purely European.
With time running out before the nomination window closes, European officials are shifting focus toward reforming FIFA's internal governance structure. Two sources revealed that administrators are exploring options to curb or redistribute powers currently concentrated within the presidency.
The proposed structural changes include transferring operational authority from the elected president to an appointed secretary general, establishing tighter controls over major commercial agreements, and restoring balance within FIFA's executive leadership.
Diallo confirmed that governance reform was now under active discussion, stating that the reallocation of executive power formed a central part of ongoing debates within UEFA. The official FIFA presidential election is scheduled to take place during the FIFA Congress in Rabat on 18 March 2027.
